It is a sweltering hot Monday morning in March 2024, but Mr Tan Cher Xuan remains focused on his task – harvesting vegetables on a rooftop in an Ang Mo Kio industrial estate.
The 26-year-old has autism, a neuro-developmental condition that can affect learning and development.
He has worked at the hydroponics farm run by social enterprise Grace Mission for more than two years.
Grace Mission was founded in 2012 by Pastor Andrew Choo, 63, and his wife Grace, 61 (pictured below), with the aim of providing jobs and therapy to people with autism and other special needs.
The vegetables – planted, harvested and packed by people like Mr Tan – are sold to hotels and restaurants. The farm produces an average of a tonne of vegetables each month, and also runs tours and education programmes.
Mr Tan’s father, retiree Tan Boon Wang, recalled: “When Cher Xuan started, he didn’t dare touch the plants. He would run away and shout.”
But his son has adapted to working half-days for three days a week, the 68-year-old said.
It is estimated that 1 per cent of the population in Singapore is on the autism spectrum.
Farming and nature can help soothe those with special needs and provide them with employment opportunities, said Pastor Choo, who outfitted the farm with a therapy garden, where workers can relax and take breaks in while enjoying the flora and fauna (below).
“I experienced the therapeutic effect of nature myself when I was recovering from a stroke, so I wanted to find a solution to help people in a real-world setting away from books and clinical environments,” Pastor Choo added.
This is not the couple’s first foray into helping the marginalised and those with special needs. They founded Andrew and Grace Home for troubled girls in 1998. Pastor Choo also spent two years managing a residential student development programme at Assumption Pathway School, where he worked with youth with autism.
Many special needs youth at the farm cannot find jobs elsewhere due to their temperaments, said Pastor Choo.
Ms Alethea Lew, 21, who has autism, left her job in food preparation at a hotel in July 2023 after three weeks due to her anxiety.
“When she’s anxious, she can’t control her behaviour,” said her mother Madam Thun, 56, who wants to be known only by her last name.
Since December 2023, Ms Lew has worked at the farm almost daily. Her duties include washing farm equipment and transporting vegetables.
“Everybody at the farm is tolerant and patient,” said Madam Thun, adding that “people outside” tend to get frustrated with people with autism because they are unfamiliar with the condition.
“Even I, find it therapeutic,” said the part-time administrative worker, who helps out at the farm herself.
At any one time, the farm may host around five to 10 beneficiaries who work part-time like Ms Lew. They draw a monthly allowance of around $200 to $500, depending on their ability.
On top of picking up farming skills, they also participate in nature therapy activities such as pruning plants and caring for animals. Interacting with nature can increase their understanding of emotions, said Pastor Choo.
Working alongside them are seven full-time staff, one of whom has autism. Mr Raffles Ling (below) joined the farm as a beneficiary in July 2023 and became a full-time employee in January 2024.
The 27-year-old, who draws a monthly salary of $1,800, said: “I was nervous when I first joined, but a mentor helped me overcome my fear and awkwardness. I feel proud and privileged to work here full time. I could not imagine it when I first joined.”
Asked what his role is, Mr Ling, who had been packing vegetables earlier, replied: “I do a bit of everything, but I really like putting seeds into styrofoam. It’s relaxing.”
Besides the farm, Grace Missions also leverages water sports as therapy. Working with local stand-up paddleboarding club SUP Ventures, its Project Ocean Therapy provides lessons for children and youth with autism, such as 11-year-old Jozen Lum.
The Pathlight School student has become better at expressing his feelings verbally since starting stand-up paddleboarding in June 2023, said his aunt Shermeen Ang.
The Choos first embarked on their farming mission in Neo Tiew, before moving to Ang Mo Kio in 2020. They are on the move again as their lease is up in May.
Rising rent is one of the biggest challenges for Grace Mission, and having to move is a reality, said Pastor Choo, who has decided to decentralise the farm to multiple locations this time, including The Agape in Jurong West and City Sprouts Punggol (below).
Calling this move his “one last push” before he retires at 65, Pastor Choo said he intends to hand over the running of Grace Mission to his son Joshua (below, left), 32.
But he hastens to add that he will not be riding off into the sunset. “My love for the community means I will always be involved. This is part of my life.”
